what is food security in india
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Food is as essential for living as air is for breathing. But food security means something more than getting two square meals. Food security has following dimensions
a) availability of food
b) accessibility
c) affordability
a) availability of food
b) accessibility
c) affordability
Answered by
15
Food Security is the ability to assure, on a long term basis, that the system provides the total population access to a timely, reliable and nutritionally adequate supply of food.
India has now reached a stage where the country is no longer exposed to real famines. All the same there still exist pockets within the country where people have to face acute starvation year after year.
During 1950-51 annual net imports of cereals amounted to 4.1 million tones. This figure was 10.3 million tons during 1965-66. Since then there was a decline and after 1995-96 India became an exporter of cereals. During the last 50 years, there has been an increase in the per capita availability of cereals to the extent of 9%.
However the country has failed to increase the production of pulses consistent with the needs of the growing population. This is significant since the large number of vegetarians in the country depend on pulses for their protein requirements. Tenth Plan data indicate that consumption of milk and meat products as well as vegetables and fruits has increased as a natural outcome of economic development.
India suffered two very severe droughts in 1965 and 1966. Food Aid to India was restricted to a monthly basis by USA under the P.L. 480 programme. India had been a severe critic of the US policy of intervention and war in Vietnam. This was not liked by the then President Lyndon Johnson.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had foreseen such a situation and declared, “It is only when we attain self-sufficiency in food that we can progress and develop ourselves. Otherwise there is the constant pressure of circumstances, there is trouble and misery and sometimes shame and humiliation.”
The Green Revolution made a significant change in the scene. India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by the year 1976 through the implementation of the seed- water-fertilizer policy adopted by the Government of India.
India has now reached a stage where the country is no longer exposed to real famines. All the same there still exist pockets within the country where people have to face acute starvation year after year.
During 1950-51 annual net imports of cereals amounted to 4.1 million tones. This figure was 10.3 million tons during 1965-66. Since then there was a decline and after 1995-96 India became an exporter of cereals. During the last 50 years, there has been an increase in the per capita availability of cereals to the extent of 9%.
However the country has failed to increase the production of pulses consistent with the needs of the growing population. This is significant since the large number of vegetarians in the country depend on pulses for their protein requirements. Tenth Plan data indicate that consumption of milk and meat products as well as vegetables and fruits has increased as a natural outcome of economic development.
India suffered two very severe droughts in 1965 and 1966. Food Aid to India was restricted to a monthly basis by USA under the P.L. 480 programme. India had been a severe critic of the US policy of intervention and war in Vietnam. This was not liked by the then President Lyndon Johnson.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had foreseen such a situation and declared, “It is only when we attain self-sufficiency in food that we can progress and develop ourselves. Otherwise there is the constant pressure of circumstances, there is trouble and misery and sometimes shame and humiliation.”
The Green Revolution made a significant change in the scene. India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by the year 1976 through the implementation of the seed- water-fertilizer policy adopted by the Government of India.
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